Nursing-home staff perception of behavior disturbance and management of confused residents

An exploratory study was conducted to identify nursing-home staff's perceptions of confused residents' behavior problems and what they did to intervene. Six focus groups were conducted at two nursing homes. A convenience sample of 58 health care providers participated: registered nurses and licensed practical nurses; certified nursing assistants; social workers; clinical nurse specialists; therapeutic recreation therapists; and physical, speech, and occupational therapists. Four categories of behavior disturbances emerged: verbal, fear-related, wandering, and level of awareness-related. Four categories emerged from intervention data analysis: interpreting reality, maintaining normalcy, meeting basic needs, and managing behavior disturbances.